How can I lower the alcohol content?

[BadMitten]

I have a Hefe that I'm planning on brewing within a few days. The guy that gave me the recipe said it's a good beer but very high in alcohol. What would knock this down to the normal 5% range? As is, I think its near 7.5.

Here is the ingredient list.

7 Pounds Alexander's Pale/Wheat Malt Syrup
3 Pounds Munton & Fison Pale
1 Pound Flaked Wheat
1/2 Ounce Coriander
1 ounce Mt Hood(Boil 60 Min)
3/4 ounce Simcoe (End of Boil - Whirlpool - Cover & Force Cool)
WL300 Liquid Yeast

The OG is 1.075
The FG is 1.020

 

[dcp27]

drop 1lb of each extract, it'll take off about 2%. you'll need to drop a lil off the bittering to keep the same balance tho

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Brew it as is, and dilute.

More beer.

 

[SlimeyBooger]

I plugged this in to Beersmith and you could make this a 7.5 gallon batch to get an abv of 4.9%. Or, if you want to stay at 5 gallons, you could change the recipe to something like this:

4lbs 12oz Alexander's Pale/Wheat Malt Syrup
2lbs Munton & Fison Pale
11oz Flaked Wheat
1/2 Ounce Coriander
.6oz Mt Hood for 8 IBU or stay with 1oz for 13 IBU
3/4 ounce Simcoe
WL300 Liquid Yeast

Est OG 1.051

 

[DeliriumTrigger]

You simply want to reduce the fermentables. The less there is for the yeast to eat, the lower the alcohol content will be. I would drop 1-2lb off of the extract, then leave the rest similar. SlimeyBooger is on the right track.

 

[mcaple1]

You could also boil off some of the alcohol post ferment and keep the grain bill the same....but thats a PITA. Look up removing alcohol from beer to make it low/no alcohol (near beer).

 

[DeliriumTrigger]

You could also boil off some of the alcohol post ferment and keep the grain bill the same....but thats a PITA. Look up removing alcohol from beer to make it low/no alcohol (near beer).

It would be so much easier just to reduce the amount of malt extract in the recipe, especially as a newer brewer.

 

[mcaple1]

It would be so much easier just to reduce the amount of malt extract in the recipe, especially as a newer brewer.

Which is why I made note its a PITA.....obviously reducing fermentables is the no brainer answer. Just keeping his options open.

 

[BadMitten]

So maybe a pound of each and add a half gallon of water?

 

[mcaple1]

Just use a brewing program like beersmith or brewtarget (<<<BT is free) and figure out where you want your OG to be and scale back that way.